The mercury is rising, spring showers subsiding, and Aucklanders finally have freedom in their sights.
The announcement of the border opening on 15 December came with a sigh of relief for many; we will get to spend Christmas with loved ones and travel outside of Auckland for the first time in over three months. While we’re certainly not out of the woods just yet, the huge effort by healthcare workers and the public means we can enjoy a sense of normality this summer. For many Kiwis, that will include booking a bach.
The latest data from Bachcare, New Zealand’s largest serviced holiday home management company, shows just how eager Aucklanders are to travel. On the day of the border announcement, Bachcare had their busiest day of bookings since June 2020 when Aotearoa moved to Alert Level 1 out of the very first Covid-19 lockdown. Compared to the previous day, this was a 58% surge in bookings. As expected, an even greater increase was seen with Auckland guests where bookings were up 159% compared to the previous day.
The data also revealed that guests are going against normal travel trends in that they aren’t waiting until Christmas to travel. The most popular departure date for Auckland guests on the day of the announcement was 17 December, the first Friday of freedom, for an average length of stay for 2.23 nights. Aucklanders can’t wait to get out.
The Bay of Plenty, Coromandel, Northland, and other drive-to destinations are among the most popular regions given there is still some hesitation to lock in flights. Waihi bach owners like Karen and Corey are prepared for a busy summer of bookings. They are especially looking forward to not having to lift a finger, knowing their guests and holiday home are being well-cared for by Bachcare.
The owners of the Modern Kiwi Bach [Bachcare property ID 1049701] had previously listed the home on Airbnb and received a few bookings, but Karen quickly realised she didn’t have the time to manage the logistics of a holiday rental. When looking for a full-service property manager, Bachcare appealed to Karen because of the 100% management approach. Given how much is involved, she finds the Bachcare service offers great value for money. Having the local manager was particularly appealing to the family given they live in Auckland.
“To have a service that manages the marketing, bookings, customer communication, property management, cleaning, guests while they are in-house, and a customer service centre for the level of commission is spot on.”
For Karen and Corey, offering their second home up for rent has never been about the money beyond covering expenses. In saying that, they’ve been impressed with the number of bookings they’ve received in just 18 months. In fact, The Modern Kiwi Bach has received 40% more bookings than the average number for Bachcare properties in the Waihi Beach area.
If you’re looking to cover the expenses of your holiday home, now’s the perfect time to get everything in order and make the most of what is set to be a record-breaking summer for bach bookings.
www.newowners.bachcare.co.nz
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Published 3 December 2021